The Mute Girl's Tutor

Moves To The Future

We stayed for as long as we could under the stars until my dad called reminding me of my curfew. Aaron made a show of stretching extra slowly and pretended he forgot how to fold so we could stay just a bit longer which I appreciated.

"I wish we could hang out longer." Aaron moaned while opening my door with distaste. I chuckled hopping up into the seat while he leaned against the door.

"Me too." I agreed quietly catching his eyes with my own. He smiled slightly and leaned toward me, taking up most of my personal space. I watched as dark tufts of hair fell into his eyes that looked a bright mossy green in the dim light provided by his truck. Aaron's arms stretched out above my head and found their way to the roof of the car putting his muscular chest and biceps on full display as he leaned in more fully toward me.

"Are you checking me out right now?" He burst into laughter making my cheeks flame. I shoved him hard away from me and crossed my arms with a huff generating another laugh from his lips. "It's okay. I do it all the time."

"You check yourself out?" A tiny laugh forced its way out of my mouth at that and he rolled his eyes invading my space again.

"I meant you, but yeah, sure." Aaron was still chuckling and took another step toward me with his own arms crossed. Training my lips out of their little smile I looked out the windshield to avoid looking at him. "Why do you do that?"

My eyes startled toward his and I realized he was much closer than I remembered and cleared my throat. "Do what?"

"You never let me look at you."

"We just looked at each other for hours." I pointed out feeling embarrassed by my own words.

"You know what I mean." He pushes flitting his eyes over my cheeks and nose and eyes and forehead all within a matter of seconds. My fingers twitched itching to move the hair from his face.

"I'm afraid I don't." My tongue felt heavy and I did my best to keep the eye contact like he requested but it kindled a feeling in the pit of my stomach that felt too warm and too funny. Earlier we were just passing time, were relaxed, now, his green orbs had a fierce look within them and I swallowed hard.

"Just relax. I'm not gonna hurt you." He reassured leaning in quickly to kiss my head and rub his warm hands over my shoulders.

I opened my mouth to answer, to say something to reassure him back like I know or I'm trying but my throat had closed and I could hear my own heartbeat beating a tattoo against my rib cage and I just couldn't, because this did hurt. It hurts because it's so new and there was finally someone in this world who was at least trying to understand me, not because they need to or are doing it out of pity but because they want to. And when was the last time someone wanted me?

"Shit, did I do something wrong? Why are you crying? Leise help me out here." He looked so desperate and alarmed, so different than he did just a few seconds ago and seeing the shift live and in person hurt more than the unknown.

Wiping the uninvited tears from my cheeks I sucked in a ragged breath and chuckled to myself hating how pathetic I was. Meeting his eyes again I blew out a long puff of air and felt my hand make its way toward his face, stuttering for a long moment, letting it lay suspended in the air for a few seconds too long before tucking his hair back into place.

Aaron's body shook with light laughter and his eyes closed pressing his cheek into my palm. "You're a lot of work, Anneliese."

"I'm sorry." I choked out attempting to pull my hand away only for Aaron to catch it and pull it back to his face. He kissed my palm and held it firmly in his own two hands.